3505 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


Little  Stories  in  Verse 

As  Unpretentious  'as  the  Wild  Rose 


By 

CARRIE  JACOBS-BOND 


Chicago 
Published  by  the  Author 

184   Dearborn  Street 


Copyright  by 

CARRIE  JACOBS-BOND 
1905 


Chicagi 

Marsh,  Aitken  6-  Curtis  Company 
Printers 


'-."V 


PS 


Dedicated  to 
AGNESS  GREENE  FOSTER 


61O515 

LIBRARY 


CONTENTS 

Page 
An'  I've  Got  Home         ......        9 

The  City  Visitor  .  .  .  .  .  .11 

Bearin'  Burdens  .  .  .  .  .  .12 

On  the  Mclntire  Farm  .  .  .  .  .14 

Buster  Bond          .......       16 

The  Insurance  Agent      .  .  .  .  „  .18 

The  City  Reporter  .....  .20 

Talkin'  'Bout  Trouble     .  .  .  .  .  .22 

Sorrow  and  I  .  .  .  „  .  .25 

Loyal  ........      26 

Two  Hard  Days  for  Mother     .  .  .  .  .30 

My  Old  Man's  Heaven  .  .  .  .  -34 

Three  Homes        .......      36 

My  Little  Girl      .......      38 

Over  Hills  and  Fields  of  Daisies         .  .  .  .40 

That  Smith  Boy  an'  His  Mother        .  .  .  .42 

Mother's  Three  Ages  of  Man  .  .  .  -44 

Friends       ........      46 

The  Path  o'  Life  ......      49 

Her  Neighbor's  Boy        .  .  .  .  .  .      54 

The  Woodman's  Son       .  .  .  .  .  .58 

His  Gal's  Graduatin'  Day          ...  .62 

Talkin'  About  Little  Things     .  .  .  .  .65 

The  Dog's  Soliloquy        .  .  .  .  .  .68 

When  You're  Sad  ,  ,  ,  ,  .  .70 


Little  Stories  in  Verse 


Hn'  1Tx>e  Got  1bome 

Been  a-travelin'  'most  a  year, 
Been  a  powerful  ways  from  here, 
Seen  some  sights  I  won't  forget, 
Heard  some  sounds  I'm  hearin'  yet, 
But  now  I'm  home. 

Been  to  cities  strange  and  new, 
Some  I  liked,  but  just  a  few ; 
Still  there's  none  of  'em  can  be 
What  this  old  farm  is  to  me, 
'Cause  it's  my  home. 

There's  my  axe  beside  the  tree — 
Seems  to  sort  o'  beckon  me ; 
Wonder  if  I've  clean  forgot 
How  to  sliver  off  a  knot 
Since  I  left  home? 

9 


10  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

How  I'm  lovin'  every  sound ! 
Acorns  droppin'  on  the  ground 
Sounds  like  music  to  my  ear, 
Kind  o'  singin'  joy  and  cheer 
'Cause  I've  got  home. 

Is  there  anything  so  good 
As  bein'  home — an'  understood? 
Folks  don't  criticise  your  ways, 
Where  they've  known  you  all  your  days 
Right  in  your  home. 

Wall,  I'm  thankin'  God  for  this— 
I've  been  liked  (enough  to  miss) 
In  the  place  I  love  the  best, 
An'  I've  just  come  back  to  rest 
An'  stay  at  home. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  11 


ITbe  City  liMsftor 

When  she  came  to  our  town,  a-visitin'  her  son, 
We  didn't  think  she'd  like  it,  or  ever'd  see  the  fun. 
We  had  a  livin',  quiet  and  countrified,  you  know, 
But  say!  she  just  enjoyed  it,  by  gosh!     She  told  me  so. 

She  said  she  liked  the  robins  a-singin'  thro'  the  breeze, 
She  said  she  liked  the  squirrels,  a-clim'in'  in  the  trees, 
She  said  she  liked  the  wood-pile,  an'  liked  to  see  me  chop, 
She  said  so  much  about  that,  I  was  'most  ashamed  to  stop. 

She  said  she  loved  the  feathers  an'  the  quiltin'  on  her  bed, 
She  said  she  liked  Ma's  fried-cakes  an'  her  good,  old- 
fashioned  bread, 

An'  then  she  said  she  liked  us,  an'  I  think  she  meant  it,  too, 
An'  she  said  she  hoped  we'd  miss  her.     Well,  I  guess,  by 
gosh !  we  do. 


12  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


3Bearin'  Burdens 

If  you've  got  a  burden, 
Bear  it  best  yo'  can. 

Don't  you  try  to  shove  it 
On  some  other  man. 

Jes'  yo'  keep  a-goin', 

If  the  load  am  big. 
Ain't  no  folks  that  gets  thar 

'Cept  the  ones  that  dig. 

Only  ones  you  care  'bout 
Am  the  one  that  works — 

'Tain't  the  lazy  fellow, 

'Tain't  the  one  that  shirks. 

'Tain't  the  one  that  never 
Gives  no  care  to  yo', 

It's  the  one  that's  always 
Findin'  things  to  do ; 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  13 

Carries  all  his  burdens 

An'  a  feV  for  you; 
Always  'round  when  needed, 

Always  sees  you  through. 

He's  the  one  that  allus 

Smiles  if  they  are  sad, 
He's  the  one  that  cheers  yo' 

When  you're  feelin'  bad. 

He's  the  one  that  tells  you, 

"Don't  yo'  grieve  an'  sigh, 
There's  a  heap  o'  heaven 

For  yo'  by  and  by." 

Where'd  he  get  his  wisdom? 

Just  a-carryin'  loads — 
Just  forever  walkin' 

Over  rocky  roads — 

Just  a-bearin'  burdens 

That  he  knowed  was  his — 
Just  forever  tendin' 

Strictly  to  his  "biz." 


14  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


©n  tbe  /IDcHntire  jfarm 

If  you  want  a  place  to  rest  you 

Far  away  from  care  and  fret, 
And  you've  looked  around  a  good  deal, 

But  you  haven't  found  it  yet, 
I  can  tell  you  where  it's  thrivin1 — 

Far  away  and  free  from  harm — 
It's  the  best  place  in  creation — 

It's  on  Mclntire's  farm. 

There  the  sunshine  shines  the  brightest, 

There  the  days  are  calm  and  free, 
But  o'  course  there's  lots  a-doin' — 

Keeps  you  busy  as  a  bee, 
Keeps  you  workin'  all  the  day  long 

And  until  the  sun  is  set ; 
Why,  I've  seen  a  few  a-workin' 

After  that  had  quit,  you  bet. 

But  the  happiest  folks  I  know  of — 
Purest  thoughts  and  sweetest  lives — 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  15 

Are  the  ones  raised  in  the  country, 

Where  the  wild  flower  grows  and  thrives ; 

And  among  the  very  dearest, 
Full  of  love  and  gentle  charm, 

Are  the  ones  you'll  find  a-livin' 
On  the  Mclntire  farm. 


16  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


Buster  Bonfc 

I'm  goin'  to  tell  you  'bout  my  friend, 

The  best  you  ever  knew. 
He  always  treats  me  just  the  same, 

No  matter  what  I  do. 
He's  always  glad  to  see  me, 

An'  he  shows  it  in  his  face, 
An'  I  can  count  on  him,  you  bet, 

Just  any  time  an'  place. 

Now,  some  folks  might  object, 

Because  his  shade  is  rather  black, 
Because  his  nose  turns  up  a  bit, 

An's  kinder  out  o'  whack. 
But,  say!  his  eyes  are  wonders, 

Just  as  plumb,  an'  clear,  an'  true, 
An'  you'd  know  he  was  a  good  friend 

By  the  look  he'd  give  to  you. 

Ain't  no  ancestors  to  brag  of— 
(Might  as  well  be  on  the  shelf 

As  to  have  a  lot  behind  you 
If  you  ain't  no  good  yourself. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  17 

The  only  thing  that  counts  here 

Is  the  heart  you've  got  within, 
An'  your  ancestors  can't  help  you 

When  your  heart  is  filled  with  sin.) 

He's  been  my  friend  for  near  ten  years, 

An'  he's  never  left  me  yet, 
An'  I  kinder  think  I'm  his'n — 

We  can  count  as  one,  you  bet. 
An'  he  can  have  a  share  of 

Everything  I've  got  on  earth, 
An'  still  this  friend  is  just  a  dog — 

Folks  wonder  what  he's  worth. 

Of  course  they  never  ask  me, 

For  they  know  my  price  is  high, 
But  this  dog  ain't  on  the  market, 

Not  for  any  one  to  buy ; 
He's  the  last  thing  that  I'd  part  with — 

Is  this  Buster  Dog,  all  black, 
If  his  nose  is  kinder  turned  up 

An'  a  little  out  o'  whack. 


18  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


Ube  insurance  Bgent 

There's  the  life  insurance  agent, 

Oh,  the  life  insurance  man — 
Do  you  think  you  can  escape  him? 

Better  try  it  if  you  can, 
Fer  if  once  he  gets  a-talkin' 

Might  as  well  give  in,  you  bet ; 
Fer  you  never  can  escape  him 

Once  on  you  his  heart  is  set — 
You  git  insured! 

First,  he  tells  you  'bout  the  money 

You  can  save  by  signin'  NOW— 
How  in  twenty  years,  the  "Endowment" 

Takes  the  wrinkles  off  your  brow ; 
By  a-payin'  jest  four  dollars 

Every  month  for  twenty  years 
You'll  have  saved  'bout  fourteen  hundred, 

'Nough  to  wipe  out  all  your  fears. 
And  you're  insured ! 

If  you  let  the  good  chance  slip  you, 
Like  as  not  you'll  rue  the  day 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  19 

That  you  didn't  take  insurance 

When  the  man  was  'round  your  way, 

Fer  he's  mighty  independent, 
And  he  doesn't  care  a  snap 

If  the  lightning  comes  and  strikes  you, 
And  you're  wiped  clean  off  the  map- 
And  ain't  insured ! 

But,  without  a  bit  of  foolin', 

Life  insurance's  pretty  slick ; 
Twenty  years  jest  goes  a-scootin'. 

Saved  a  pile  o'  money  quick. 
When  you're  DEAD  you  needn't  WORRY, 

You've  left  something  to  your  wife- 
Left  insurance  worth  FOUR  THOUSAND ; 

There's  your  "money — on  your  life." 
You  was  insured ! 


20  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


Cits  TReporter 

He  was  one  o'  them  bright  city  fellers — 

As  slim  an'  as  slick  as  a  pin. 
He  was  what  they  call  "city  reporter," 

An'  had  to  be  smarter  'n  sin. 

He  had  to  know  everything  goin' 

An'  write  an'  then  hand  it  in. 
His  duties  were  keepin'  him  hustlin* 

And  hustlin'  was  keepin'  him  thin. 

But  by  and  by  vacation  got  him ; 

An'  he  had  a  few  weeks  that  was  his, 
So  he  dropped  all  the  thoughts  of  the  city 

An'  forgot  everything  that  was  biz. 

He  hustled  himself  to  the  country, 
To  a  farm  home  six  miles  from  town, 

For  a  rest  that  would  give  him  a  good  chance 
To  do  his  vacation  up  brown. 

Well,  say,  now !  he  wasn't  there  no  time 
'Fore  the  birds  made  up  songs  for  his  sake, 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  21 

An'  they  practiced  them  tunes  by  his  window 
Each  mornin'  to  get  him  awake. 

They  knew  that  he  liked  'em,  yo'  bet  yo* — 
You  can't  fool  the  birds,  not  a  bit — 

An'  that  dandy  young  city  reporter 
With  them  birds  was  makin'  a  hit. 

Well,  I  ain't  goin'  to  tell  you  much  more  now, 
Only  this :  that  the  fields  an'  the  brook 

An'  the  lambs,  an'  the  dogs  an'  the  horses 
Have  all  got  a  lonesome-like  look— 

For  the  city  reporter  has  left  them, 
An'  everything's  different  here  now, 

The  whole  farm  is  lookin'  down-hearted, 
We  can't  seem  to  cheer  it  nohow. 

Ain't  it  funny — that  some  folks  you  can't  miss 
An'  some  folks  you  jus'  miss  a  pile? 

An'  the  folks  that  you  can't  miss  you  see  lots, 
An'  them  other  folks  once  in  a  while. 


22  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


'JSout  Urouble 

"This  world's  so  full  o'  trouble," 

I  hear  so  many  say, 
An'  I  wonder  if  it  really  is, 

Or  only  seems  that  way. 
An'  I  wonder  if  the  folks  who  find 

This  world  so  very  bad, 
Are  lookin'  with  their  smilin'  eyes, 

Or  eyes  jes'  lookin'  sad. 

I  wonder  if  they're  lookin'  out 

To  see  what  they  can  do 
By  thinkin' — not  about  themselves — 

But  thinkin'  some  'bout  you ; 
An'  I  wonder  if  they  ever  tried 

To  git  braced  up  with  this— 
A-lookin'  'round  to  see  how  much 

Of  troubles  they  could  miss? 

An'  have  you  ever  thought  about 

The  greatness  of  a  smile? 
Wall,  if  you've  not,  it  might  be  well 

To  try  it  for  a  while, 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  23 

Because  a  smile  will  do  you  good 

No  matter  where  you  go, 
For  frowns  are  mighty  common  things, 

(An*  we  all  know  that's  so!) 

But  say,  can  anybody  tell 

Why  smiles  should  come  so  high, 
An'  frowns  should  be  such  common  things, 

Beneath  the  selfsame  sky? 
If  folks  could  only  know  how  much 

They  lose  by  lookin'  sad, 
They'd  all  cheer  up  an'  spend  their  time 

A-tryin'  to  look  glad. 

For  every  time  you  hide  a  sigh 

Behind  a  smilin'  face, 
You've  took  a  burden  from  your  soul, 

An'  give  the  Lord  a  place. 
An'  He's  the  one  who  loves  to  see 

His  children  lookin'  gay, 
An'  bein'  happy  in  His  grace, 

An'  makin'  good  His  way. 

An'  if  you  think  you've  had  too  much, 
An'  things  ain't  even  now, 


34  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

Maybe  you'll  find  out  by  and  by 
The  "wherefor  an'  the  how." 

An'  I  believe,  before  you  die, 
You'll  see  'twas  for  the  best, 

An'  that  instead  o'  bein'  wronged 
That  mostly  you've  been  blest ; 

An'  that  your  troubles  made  you  big 

An'  char't'ble  an'  strong, 
An'  'stead  of  bein'  setbacks 

They've  helped  you  git  along ; 
An'  if  you  hadn't  had  'em 

You  could  never  understood ; 
An'  now  I  ask  you,  my  good  friends, 

Do  you  really  think  you  could? 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  26 


Sorrow  ano  fl 

Sorrow  and  I  are  firm  old  friends, 

For  we've  been  through  storms  together, 

But  we  found  that  the  storms  make  truer  friends 
Than  the  pleasantest  sunny  weather. 

I  found,  when  the  first  great  grief  had  past, 

And  the  clouds  were  getting  brighter, 
That  Sorrow  had  only  made  me  see 

That  my  new-found  loads  were  lighter, 

And  that,  if  I  carried  my  burden  well, 

My  grief  was  my  greatest  blessing ; 
And  a  smiling  face  and  a  cheery  voice 

Were  remedies  worth  possessing. 

So  Sorrow  and  I  have  just  joined  hands, 

And  we're  climbing  the  hill  together ; 
If  the  stones  are  rough  and  our  feet  grow  tired, 

We  are  used  to  the  stormy  weather. 


26  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


Xopal 

Say !     She  was  a  pretty  woman, 

Kind  o'  stout  an'  kind  o'  fair; 
Eyes  were  blue  an'  mouth  was  tender, 

Forehead  high,  with  wavin'  hair. 
An'  the  children?    Wall— (God  bless  'em) 

They  was  beauties,  every  one, 
With  big  brown  eyes  an'  cheeks  a-glowin', 

Kissed  by  wind  an'  tanned  by  sun. 
But  when  you  had  looked  at  Mother 

(When  she  didn't  see  you  near) 
You  could  kind  o'  see  a  sadness, 

Kind  o'  see  a  hidden  tear ; 
But  she  didn't  do  much  talkin', 

Kept  on  knittin'  every  day, 
Kept  her  hands  most  awf  ly  busy, 

Makin'  b'lieve  that  life  was  play, 
Makin'  b'lieve  God's  Kindergarten 

Still  was  keepin'  her  a  child ; 
But  the  joy  was  gone — by  jingo! 

When  she  laughed  and  when  she  smiled. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  27 

Wall — by  an'  by  when  I  had  known  her 

Well  enough  to  speak  right  out, 
I  just  asked  her  if  she'd  tell  me 

What  the  trouble  was  about ; 
An'  she  gave  me  just  another 

Of  them  tearful,  tender  looks, 
One  of  them  you  don't  see  often — 

Just  like  them  you  find  in  books ; 
But  I've  been  a  kind  o'  comfort 

In  my  life  a  time  or  two, 
So  I  said  again,  "Now  tell  me— 

Ain't  there  somethin'  I  can  do?" 
Then  she  answer'd  (she'd  been  lookin' 

Down  the  road  'bout  twenty  years), 
But  before  I  knew  what  happened 

She  was  just  a-sheddin'  tears— 
Cryin'  like  she  never  could  quit; 

Tears  was  comin'  from  the  heart, 
But  the  words  was  comin'  also, 

What  I'd  said  had  made  'em  start, 
An'  the  story  that  she  told  me— 

(Say,  now — don't  you  smile  at  this) 
Was  the  man  that  was  her  husband 

Thought  no  longer  that  a  kiss 
Was  a  thing  a  woman  needed 


28  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

After  twenty  years  a  wife, 
An'  to  tell  her  that  he  loved  her! — 

'Bout  the  slowest  thing  in  life — 
Ought  to  know  that  an'  remember, 

Just  remember — don't  you  know, 
'Cause  he  told  her  once  he  loved  her, 

If  it  was  some  years  ago. 
Now,  there's  me  an'  my  old  woman, 

An'  we've  marched  on  forty  years, 
An'  we've  always  marched  together, 

An'  we've  shared  our  smiles  an'  tears ; 
An'  I  tell  her  that  I  love  her, 

Two — three  times  a  day,  I  guess, 
An'  I  ask  her  if  she  loves  me, 

An'  she  always  answers— "Yes." 
Maybe,  this  is  all  blame  nonsense, 

But  it  doesn't  cost  a  cent, 
An'  we've  kept  the  nonsense  with  us, 

Always  took  it  where  we  went, 
An'  the  folks  that  come  to  see  us 

Always  say  they're  glad  they  came, 
An'  it  makes  us  sort  o'  happy 

That  they  find  us  "just  the  same." 
An'  the  reason  that  it  is  so- 
Only  reason  I  can  tell — 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  29 

Is  I  love  my  good  old  woman 

An'  I  love  her  mighty  well, 
An'  I  ain't  ashamed  to  tell  it 

Any  time  nor  any  place, 
An'  the  answer  that  I  look  for 

I  can  find — in  her  old  face. 
Maybe  that  face  is  wrinkled; 

If  it  is — wall,  I  can't  see. 
All  I  ever  care  to  know  is 

She's  been  stanch  and  true  to  me. 


30  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


TTwo  Ifoarfc  Baps  tor  flDotber 

"There's  just  two  days  that  I  don't  like," 

Said  Mother  Bates  to  me — 
"The  Circus  Day  and  July  Fourth, 

They're  hard  as  they  can  be ; 
But  when  they  both  come  in  one  week, 

It's  just  a  cryin'  sin 
To  watch  the  four  boys  that  I've  got, 

An'  try  to  keep  'em  in. 

"Now,  I  don't  mean  all  day,  you  know, 

But  long  enough  for  me 
To  get  'em  lookin'  nice  an'  clean 

An'  fit  for  folks  to  see, 
An'  long  enough  for  me  to  say, 

'Now,  boys,  don't  you  forget 
(Not  even  if  you  haven't  seen 

The  entire  Circus  yet), 

"  'Come  home,  for  dinner'll  taste  good 

An'  you  can  go  again 
An'  see  the  rest  this  afternoon — 

That  Circus'll  remain.' 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  31 

But  do  you  think  I  see  a  boy 

Until  the  sun  is  set? 
No,  not  a  boy,  from  Bob  to  Jim, 

They're  'round  that  Circus  yet. 

"But  if  the  Circus  ended  there 

I  wouldn't  care  so  much ; 
The  Circus  now  has  just  begun — 

I  get  the  final  touch ; 
For  every  strap  that's  in  our  barn 

An'  every  bit  of  clothes 
That's  got  a  button  made  of  brass 

Out  in  the  wood-shed  goes. 

''An'  we've  a  Circus  here  at  home 

About  a  week  or  two, 
Until  my  old  head  nearly  busts 

An'  somethin'  comes  that's  new. 
This  year  the  Circus  didn't  last, 

The  Fourth  come  in  next  day, 
An'  I  just  thought  them  boys  would  die 

A-workin'  hard  that  way. 

"At  four  o'clock  they  all  got  up 

An'  each  one  fired  the  gun, 
An'  every  livin'  thing,  I  guess, 


32  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

Around  that  farmyard  run 
'Cept  Pa  and  me — we'd  clean  forgot 

That  July  Fourth  was  near — 
So,  night  before,  we  went  to  bed 

Without  a  doubt  or  fear, 


"A-thinkin5  what  a  blessin'  that 

The  Circus  come  and  went 
Without  a  broken  arm  or  two, 

An'  we  was  plumb  content, 
When,  goodness  me !  that  gun  was  fired, 

An'  I  thought,  'One  day  more ! 
Will  all  my  boys  be  here  to-night, 

Or  on  that  other  shore? 


"  'Or  will  they  turn  from  white  to  black 

By  blowin'  in  the  gun? 
Or  find  that  one  eye  is  enough 

To  see  the  July  fun? 
Or  just  find  out  one  hand  will  do 

For  helpin'  on  the  farm?' 
Well — all  day  long  I  prayed  the  Lord 

To  keep  them  boys  from  harm. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  33 

"But  by  an'  by — the  end  it  came, 

An'  Bob  was  carried  in, 
His  shirt-sleeve  blown  to  smithereens, 

A  bullet  in  his  chin. 
But  Doctor  said,  'Oh,  he's  all  right ; 

For  sure  we'll  pull  him  thru.' 
An',  mother-like,  I  kissed  that  boy, 

As  mothers  always  do, 

"An'  I  forgive  him  everything 

He'd  done  since  he  was  born, 
An'  hurried  up  to  make  him  feel 

He  wasn't  as  forlorn 
As  though  he'd  blowed  his  head  clean  off— 

(That's  what  I  thought  he'd  do) 
But  honest,  how  I  loved  that  boy ! 

Just  loved  him  thru  and  thru. 

"Them  other  three  came  walkin'  in 

Just  like  a  funeral  band, 
An'  all  their  faces  pale  as  death 

An'  tremblin'  every  hand ; 
An'  all  o'  'em  they  looked  at  me 

Thru  tears  a-fallin'  fast — 
Till  finally  I  had  to  say, 

'Thank  God,  this  Fourth  is  past!'  " 


34  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


ibeaven 

I've  tried  to  live  an  honest  life, 

Have  helped  a  friend  or  two, 
An'  never  shirked  my  duties, 

If  the  jobs  were  small  or  few. 
An'  I  guess  I've  been  a-walkin' 

In  the  narrow  path  all  right, 
'Cause  I've  seen  a  heap  more  daytime 

Than  I  ever  seen  o'  night. 

Now,  some  folks  call  the  narrow  path 

A  hard  one  here  on  earth, 
But  me  an'  Mary  allus  found 

The  path  was  filled  with  mirth. 
Fer  ain't  we  had  the  children 

A-cheerin'  all  the  time? 
An'  ain't  they  kept  us  hustlin' 

A-keepin'  'em  in  line? 

An'  why  should  I  be  sighin' 
Fer  a  different  kind  o'  life, 

When  I've  got  my  thirteen  children 
An'  my  Mary  Ann  fer  wife? 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  35 


I  guess,  by  jingo,  if  I  do 

The  very  best  I  can, 
I'll  find  some  heaven  here  on  earth 

Along  with  Mary  Ann. 

If  Mary  Ann  was  singing 

On  th'  everlastin'  shore, 
S'pose  I'd  give  up  lookin'  pleasant, 

An'  I  wouldn't  sing  no  more. 
But  as  long  as  Mary's  livin' 

An'  the  children  all  are  here, 
I'll  keep  my  old  face  smilin', 

So's  to  scare  away  the  tear. 


36  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


Ubree  Ifoomes 

I  know  a  home  where  "Vice"  is  king, 

A  home  where  trouble  and  care  'twill  bring, 

Where  mother  tries  to  comfort  and  cheer 

The  unhappy  children  who  gather  here ; 

Where  the  lullaby  is  sung  with  sobs, 

Which  come  from  the  heart  that  with  sorrow  throbs. 

And  all  that  is  wicked,  and  dark,  and  drear, 

Is  gathered  up  and  brought  in  here 

And  left — when  the  king  of  vice  goes  out — 

To  be  thought  of  and  worried  and  grieved  about ; 

For  this  is  the  home  where  ruin  is  king. 

Then  I  know  a  home  where  "Love"  is  king, 

Where  thoughts  of  happiness  bud  and  spring, 

Where  the  children  smile  at  the  father's  call 

And  long  to  see  him,  one  and  all ; 

And  the  mother  sings,  with  a  happy  sigh, 

The  babe  to  sleep  with  her  lullaby. 

And  this  home  is  a  safeguard  from  care  and  strife, 

A  place  where  they  look  for  the  best  thoughts  of  life, 

For  this  is  the  home  where  love  is  king. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  37 

And  again  there's  a  home  where  God  is  king, 

A  home  where  our  joys  and  sorrows  we  bring, 

A  home  where  the  Angels  to  us  will  sing 

A  lullaby,  which  will  soothe  each  sting, 

Which  takes  away  sorrow,  and  pain,  and  strife, 

And  ushers  us  into  an  eternal  life, 

A  life  where  our  pathway  is  strewn  with  flowers, 

A  life  which  God  says  shall  be  always  ours, 

A  life  where  no  tears  for  loved  ones  flow, 

For  this  is  a  heaven  not  known  below. 

And  pure  little  children  we  all  would  bring 

To  this  "sweet  home"  where  God  is  king. 


38  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


OLittle  Girl 

I've  only  had  my  little  girl  five  years, 

And  yet  I  never  lived  until  she  came ; 
She  brought  me  only  smiles  (there  were  no  tears), 

And  though  it  storms,  my  sun  shines  just  the  same, 
And  life  has  been  a  different  thought  to  me, 

Since  these  dear  hands  have  been  my  own  to  hold. 
And  now  the  glories  of  this  world  I  see, 

And  yet  this  child  is  only  five  years  old. 

She  tells  me  how  the  robin  builds  its  nest, 

She  has  been  watching  every  day- — so  long, 
And  how  the  robin  that  she  likes  the  best 

Is  always  near  to  help  and  cheer  with  song. 
And  by  and  by  she  says  the  house  is  made, 

And  then  the  robins  just  go  there  to  stay ; 
And  by  and  by  some  little  eggs  are  laid — 

And  there  she  found  some  little  birds  one  day. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  39 

And  all  the  time  life  seems  to  me  more  fair — 

I  pause  to  see  the  dewdrops  on  the  grass, 
And  things  to  which  I  never  gave  a  care 

Seem  now  to  rise  and  call  me  as  I  pass. 
For  beauty  lives  in  everything  that  grows, 

Since  these  dear  lips  have  given  me  a  name. 
And  she?    Ah,  she  is  sweeter  than  the  rose, 

And  I  have  lost  my  burdens  since  she  came. 


40  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


©vet  Ibills  ano  tfielfcs  of  daisies 

Over  hills  and  fields  of  daisies 

Once  I  wandered  light  of  heart, 
Now  I'm  dreaming  you  are  with  me, 

We  together — ne'er  to  part. 
You  are  saying,  "Oh,  I  love  you, 

Love  like  mine  will  e'er  be  true." 
Over  hills  and  fields  of  daisies 

You  are  saying,  "I  love  you." 

"I  love  you,"  the  daisy  tells  me, 

As  the  petals  fall  apart, 
And  at  last  I  hold  the  yellow 

Of  the  gold  within  its  heart ; 
Even  though  the  flower  is  severed 

Those  white  petals  are  its  own, 
And  that  heart  of  gold  is  waiting 

For  the  petals  it  has  known. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  41 

Now  the  hills  and  all  the  daisies 

Lie  beneath  the  silent  snow, 
Still  I'm  dreaming  of  you,  dearest, 

And  I  wonder  if  you  know 
That  your  form  is  still  beside  rne, 

That  your  voice  rings  in  my  ear 
Over  hills  and  fields  of  daisies 

Till  it  seems  that  you  are  here. 


42  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


TXbat  Smttb  3Bo^  an'  1>is  /iDotber 


Them  two  was  always  chums,  you  know, 
That  Smith  boy  an'  his  mother, 

An'  he  jes'  thought  the  world  of  her, 
An'  said,  "There  ain't  another 

In  all  the  land  like  her  to  me, 

*   Per  she's  the  one  that  understands 

An'  knows  me  as  I  be, 
'Cause  she's  my  mother." 

Them  two  was  always  friends,  you  know, 

That  Smith  boy  an'  his  mother, 
And  she  was  always  helpin'  him, 

In  one  way  an'  another, 
An'  she  was  always  tellin'  him, 

"I'll  be  your  truest  friend, 
I'll  stan'  forever  by  your  side, 

An'  stan'  there  till  the  end, 
Fer  I'm  your  mother." 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  43 

Them  two  can  never  part,  you  know, 

That  Smith  boy  an'  his  mother, 
Fer  even  when  the  time  shall  come 

Fer  that  last  peaceful  rest, 
That  mother-love  will  stick  to  him, 

An'  live  within  his  breast. 
An'  he  will  always  think  o'  her, 

When  life  seems  hard  to  bear, 
An'  think  o'  all  the  joys  they  had 

An'  things  they  used  to  share, 
An'  course  it's  kind  o'  hard  to  have 

A  lot  o'  tears  to  smother, 
But  it's  easier  to  look  up  there 

When  there's  your  mother. 


44  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


/Ifcotber's  Ubree  Hoes  of  flfean 

Oh,  Time  has  taken  my  baby  away, 

My  baby  I  loved  so  well, 
And  the  lullaby  song  he  has  taken  along, 

And  the  reason  he  will  not  tell. 
But  Time  said,  "Do  not  grieve, 
For  I'm  going  to  leave 

In  the  cradle  where  he  has  slept, 
A  memory  deep  of  a  baby  asleep 

Since  away  from  your  arms  he  has  crept." 

Oh,  Time  has  taken  my  boy  away, 

My  boy  that  I  loved  so  well, 
And  the  march  for  fun  with  the  little  gun, 

And  the  tales  that  he  used  to  tell. 
But  Time  said,  "Do  not  grieve, 
For  I'm  going  to  leave 

A  man  who  will  care  for  you, 
With  a  big  strong  arm  that  can  shield  from  harm, 

And  a  heart  that  is  brave  and  true." 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  45 


Now  a  girl  has  taken  my  man  away, 

My  man  that  I  loved  so  well. 
And  that  big  strong  arm  that  could  shield  from  harm 

Just  belongs  to  a  girl  named  Hell. 
And  I'm  growing  old, 
And  the  world's  growing  cold, 

But,  of  course,  as  he  is  a  man, 
He  will  have  to  go  (oh,  it's  better  so), 

And  I'll  do  the  best  that  I  can. 


46  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


ffrienfcs 

When  God  made  up  this  world  of  ours, 

He  made  it  long  and  wide, 
And  meant  that  it  should  shelter  all, 

And  none  should  be  denied. 
But,  somehow,  lots  of  folks  got  in, 

Who  didn't  like  the  plan, 
And  ever  since,  they've  tried  their  best 

To  push  off  every  man 
Who  didn't  do  the  way  they  said, 

And  if  the  man  was  poor, 
He  had  to  hustle  right  and  left 

And  hustle  hard  for  sure. 

Now,  "poverty  is  no  disgrace," 

How  oft  we  hear  that  said ! 
But  honestly  (now  this  's  the  truth). 

You  might  as  well  be  dead 
As  ask  some  folks  to  help  you  on 

If  they  have  got  the  start. 
For  some  of  'em  they  run  to  head, 

And  just  forget  the  heart 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  47 

When  everything  comes  on  their  way 

And  their  sun's  shinin'  bright. 
There's  only  just  a  few  of  'em 

That  see  us  in  the  night. 

And  shadows  swallow  us  so  quick 

And  put  us  out  of  sight, 
That  it's  like  fightin'  with  a  dream, 

Or  makin'  wrong  seem  right, 
To  ever  get  the  help  you  need 

Unless  you're  big  and  strong. 
But  make  a  fight,  you  gentle  one, 

And  think  of  me  awhile. 
I'm  looking  on,  and  prayin',  too, 

And  hopin'  with  a  smile, 
For  I  believe  there  are  a  few 

Who  help  just  all  they  can, 
Who  know  the  good,  and  know  the  bad, 

And  see  the  honest  man. 

No  matter  if  his  clothes  are  rags, 

You  read  him  like  a  book ; 
An*  you  don't  ask  him,  "Where've  you  worked?" 

You  just  give  him  a  look, 


48  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

And  then  you  take  him  by  the  hand 

And  say,  "Now,  here's  a  start ; 
You  do  your  best,  I'll  trust  you,  sure." 

You've  reached  that  feller's  heart, 
And  he  will  always  stand  by  you 

And  be  your  "friend  indeed," 
(And  you  can  be  right  sure  of  this), 

Also,  your  "friend  in  need." 
And  maybe,  when  adversity 

Has  caught  you  in  its  grasp, 
You'll  feel  the  hand  you  held  one  time — 

It'll  return  the  clasp 
You  gave  it,  when  it  needed  help, 

And  it  will  hold  you  back, 
And  give  you  just  the  strength  you  need 

And  just  the  pluck  you  lack. 

And  by  and  by  the  friend  you  made, 

By  judging  from  his  heart — 
Instead  of  judging  from  his  clothes, 

(The  man  you  gave  a  start), 
You'll  find  in  him  companion,  friend, 

And  everything  you  need, 
That's  what  you  almost  always  get 

For  every  honest  deed. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  49 


ttbe  patb  of  Xife 

I  have  a  little  tale  to  tell 

(And  hope  'twill  do  some  good). 
It's  'bout  a  couple  of  young  folks 

A-walkin'  through  a  wood. 
They  started  off  'bout  noon  time, 

Some  fifteen  years  ago, 
To  journey  down  the  "Path  o'  Life," 

Just  how,  they  didn't  know. 

About  the  time  these  two  set  off 

Another  pair  set  out ; 
The  same  church-door  they  left  behind, 

Their  hearts  all  strong  and  stout. 
They  all  walked  down  the  "Path  o'  Life," 

And  then  'twas  clear  and  bright, 
And  looked  as  though  for  miles  to  come 

'Twould  all  be  straight  and  right. 

Of  course  this  weddin'  day  (I  guess) 
Was  near  the  first  o'  June, 

The  time  o'  day — again  I  say- 
Came  pretty  nigh  to  noon. 


50  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

And  if  you  take  life  in  its  Spring 

And  just  about  midway, 
This  world  is  bound  to  look  real  good 

And  things  look  bright  and  gay. 

That's  just  the  time  for  weddin's,  when 

The  birds  are  singin'  sweet, 
And  violets  are  comin'  up 

To  kiss  the  fern  leaf's  feet — 
But,  'nough  about  the  weather 

And  the  flowers  a-bloomin'  gay, 
I  must  tell  you  'bout  my  couples 

Startin'  off  this  weddin'  day. 

That  "Path  o'  Life"  looked  pretty  smooth 

About  a  year  or  two, 
And  then  the  weeds  began  to  come 

Where  once  the  sweet  flowers  grew. 
One  pair  o'  them  walked  hand  in  hand 

Altho'  the  path  grew  rough ; 
He  helped  her  over  all  the  stones 

And  she  called  love  enough. 

The  other  two?    Well,  I  must  tell, 
Their  hands  loosed  on  the  way, 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  51 

And  their  paths  widened  as  they  walked 

And  clouds  came  every  day, 
And  all  because  they  didn't  know 

That  burdens  shared  by  two 
Will  always  lighten  fully  half 

If  hearts  are  strong  and  true. 

And  so  my  couples  wandered  on — 

On  down  the  "Path  o'  Life"; 
One  pair  caught  all  the  sunshine, 

God  called  them  "man  and  wife." 
My  other  pair  are  lost  to  sight, 

Their  forms  no  more  I  see, 
Lost  somewhere  on  the  "Path  o'  Life," 

For  they  could  not  agree. 

When  stones  were  rough,  she  would  complain 

And,  answerin',  he  would  say, 
"Just  come  along,  now,  Mary  Ann, 

You  helped  to  make  the  day 
When  we  this  journey  undertook; 

I've  done  the  best  I  could; 
Come,  hurry  up  and  catch  me  now, 

It's  dark  here  in  this  wood." 


52  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

And  so  she  wanders  on  alone ; 

(He  thinks  he's  bein'  kind) ; 
But  by  and  by  he  finds,  alas ! 

That  Mary's  far  behind. 
And  then  he  wonders  where  she  is, 

And  what  she's  doin'  now ; 
And  as  he  thinks  how  they  have  walked, 

A  frown  comes  on  his  brow. 

And  then  he  wonders  how  it  is 

This  world  for  him  is  cold, 
And  lightnin'-like  a  thought  comes  in — 

Why,  he  is  growin'  old ; 
And  that  smooth  path  he  once  called  "life" 

All  full  o'  briers  has  grown, 
And  that  companion  he  called  "wife" 

Is  lost,  and  he's  alone. 

I  guess  a  moral  is  a  thing 

That  you  don't  need  just  now, 

But  I  would  like  to  say  a  word 
To  smooth  each  wrinkled  brow. 

Just  grasp  the  hand  that's  in  your  path — 
Sometimes  the  path  is  long — 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  53 

And  life  is  sweeter  when  you  have 

Companions,  with  a  song. 
Kind  words  smooth  all  the  "Paths  o'  Life" 

And  smiles  make  burdens  light, 
And  uncomplainin'  friends  can  make 

A  daytime  out  o'  night. 


54  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


1ber 

One  time  when  Mother  Green  had  come 

To  stay  a  spell  with  us, 
If  I  had  been  a  cussin'  man, 

I  guess  I'd  had  to  cuss, 
To  hear  the  way  folks  have  to  talk 

About  their  neighbor's  child. 
I  vow  if  I  had  been  a  pa 

Them  folks  would  drove  me  wild. 

Wall,  this  is  Mother  Green's  own  yarn, 

(She  told  it  plumb  and  true — ) 
That  Mrs.  Brown,  who  lived  next  door, 

Had  said  to  Mrs.  Prue, 
"She  wished  that  Mrs.  Green  would  keep 

Her  boy  home  just  one  day ; 
That  Tommy  never  had  no  time 

To  skip  an'  run  an'  play, 

"Without  that  Green  boy  taggin'  on 

An'  actin'  up  like  sin. 
An'  she  had  had  about  enough 

Of  callin'  Tommy  in 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  55 

An'  tellin'  him  he'd  have  to  stop 

A-squintin'  up  his  nose, 
An'  shoutin'  like  an  Indian, 

An'  tearin'  all  his  clothes ; 

"An'  just  to  keep  the  manners  of 

That  Green  boy  out  of  sight, 
An'  that  it  took  just  all  her  strength 

To  get  dear  Tommy  right, 
When  he  had  played  a  little  while 

With  that  boy,  Johnny  Green."  .  .  . 


I  wish  she  had  the  eyes  to  see 
What  my  old  eyes  have  seen, 

For  goodness  knows,  if  John  was  near 

As  bad  as  Tommy  Brown, 
I'd  sell  my  house  and  move  away, 

I'd  never  live  in  town, 
I'd  go  out  in  the  woods  to  live, 

An'  let  the  fresh  air  blow 
A  little  while  on  Tommy  Brown. 

An'  then  I'd  let  him  know 


56  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

He  wasn't  just  the  only  boy 

That  ever  had  been  born — 
I'd  tell  him  he'd  live  in  them  woods 

Till  Gabriel  blowed  his  horn 
Unless  he  changed  his  awful  ways, 

An'  got  to  actin'  right, 
An'  had  some  manners  different 

Than  the  ones  he  kept  in  sight. 


So  every  mother  thinks  her  boy's 

The  best  you  ever  knew, 
And  that  there  ain't  another  boy 

(Or  only  just  a  few) — 
Like  Tommy  Brown,  or  Johnny  Green, 

Or  any  mother's  boy. 
But  it's  we  who  haven't  got  none 

Who  know  the  honest  joy 

That's  got  by  simply  lookin'  on 

An'  seem'  all  the  fun, 
An'  hearin'  how  the  neighbors  talk 

About  their  neighbor's  son. 
But  by  an'  by,  when  time  has  made 

Them  boys  up  into  men, 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  57 

The  whole  blamed  thing  will  be  forgot, 
An'  all  forgiven  then ; 

An'  things  that  used  to  seem  so  bad 

Will  laugh  us  into  tears, 
An'  make  us  wish  that  we  could  go 

'Way  back  a  dozen  years, 
An'  see  them  boys  a-actin'  up 

As  if  they'd  just  gone  mad — 
We'd  give  a  lot  to  see  once  more 

Them  bad  boys  actin'  bad. 


58  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


Ube  TKHoofcman's  Son 

Yes,  I  made  my  money  loggin', 

I  began  it  when  a  boy. 
From  the  birds  I  took  my  music, 

From  the  brooks  I  took  my  joy, 
From  the  pines  I  got  the  perfume 

Of  a  life  lived  pure  an'  free, 
An'  them  sturdy  oaks  gave  whispers 

Of  a  strong,  hard  life  fer  me. 

But  I  knew  that  I'd  be  happier, 

Jes'  to  live  there  in  the  wood, 
Than  to  go  out  in  that  other  world, 

An'  know  it,  if  I  could. 
So  I  looked  around  the  forest, 

An'  a  woman  there  I  found 
Who  looked  at  things  as  I  did, 

From  the  tree  top  to  the  ground. 

An'  we  started  out  together 
In  a  log  house  in  the  wood, 

An'  we  lived  a  happy  life  there, 
But  of  course  we  knew  we  could. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  59 

Then  by  an'  by  the  baby  came, 

A  sturdy,  robust  son, 
An'  fourteen  years  we  kept  him 

Livin'  with  us  jes'  fer  fun. 

But  the  folks  that  used  to  come  in 

On  our  quiet,  peaceful  life 
Did  a  heap  o'  talkin'  to  me,— 

Final'y  tackled  my  old  wife — 
An'  tole  us  we  was  doin'  him 

A  willful,  sinful  wrong, 
That  he  ought  to  go  to  college, 

That  we  ought  to  help  him  'long, 

'Stead  o'  keepin'  him  a-livin' 

In  the  backwoods  all  his  life, 
That  he  ought  to  have  advantages 

To  fit  him  fer  the  strife 
That  has  to  come  to  every  man 

Who  lives  three  score  and  ten. 
An'  so  my  wife  an'  I  give  in, 

An'  said  "Good-by,"  an'  then — 

Five  years  he  spent  at  college 
In  a  city  full  of  life. 


60  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

* 

When  he  came  home  to  visit, 
He  wa'n't  known  to  me  nor  wife, 

But  he  wa'n't  one  bit  proud  like ; 
Loved  his  mother  an'  loved  me. 

But  the  things  that  boy  had  learnt  about 
Was  shockin'  like  to  see — 

Told  me  he  was  winnin'  everything 

He  ever  tried  to  win, 
From  a  card  game  to  a  horse-race ! 

Looked  to  me  like  winnin'  sin. 
In  the  woods  I  learnt  a  few  things, 

An'  I  called  some  pretty  bad, 
But  I  hadn't  learnt  a  circumstance 

To  that  'ere  handsome  lad. 

He  knew  everything  a-goin' 

'Bout  the  world  of  luck  an'  sin, 
'Cause  he'd  seen  things  from  the  outside 

(Ma  an'  me  had  been  shut  in). 
Wall,  the  thing  that  really  hurt  me  was, 

I  couldn't  turn  him  back 
An'  start  him  over  once  again 

Along  his  pa's  rough  track' — 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  61 

An'  had  him  learnt  jes'  nature 

An'  the  things  my  old  eye  sees, 
An'  kept  him  livin'  with  the  birds, 

An'  brooks,  an'  flowers,  an'  trees. 
An'  then  we  all  could  understood, 

But,  as  it  is,  you  know- 
Ma  an'  me  lives  in  the  woods, — 

An'  the  boy — he  had  to  go ! 


62  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


1bis  Cal's  Crafcuatin' 

Maybe  their  hearts  did  whirl  a  bit, 
'Specially  the  heart  of  my  gal  Kit.     , 
She  sot  on  the  rostrum  with  all  the  rest, 
And  I'll  be  dum'd,  she  looked  the  best, 
Tho'  the  things  she  wore  was  simple,  too — 
Jest  a  muslin  frock  with  a  ribbon  blue, 
Yet  she  was  the  sweetest  of  all  the  crowd, 
And  my  old  heart  was  thumpin'  proud 
When  the  President  rose  up  plain  to  see 
And  "Kit  Gray's  a-goin'  to  talk,"  says  he. 

Wall,  say,  did  that  gal  know  her  piece? 

The  words  just  came  as  smooth  as  grease, 

So  easy-like  she  told  her  part 

'Bout  "Helen  Gould  with  the  golden  heart." 

I  vow  I  never  heard  such  talk. 

That  gal  knows  how  to  "go" — no  "balk" 

In  her — she's  always  sure  and  true. 

An'  are  there  many?     There's  a  few 

Like  Kit — that  blessed  gal  o'  mine — 

Say!  she's  just  right  'bout  every  time. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  63 

Wall,  just  before  them  doin's  started 
She  said  her  head  and  heart  had  parted — 
She  knew  she  never'd  speak  her  piece — 
She  knew  her  heart  was  going  to  cease — 
But  if  her  heart  kept  goin'  good 
She'd  have  to  swaller,  yes,  she  would, 
And  swallerin'  would  spile  her  readin'. 
Then  says  I,  "Just  pay  no  heedin' ; 
But  keep  a  good  stiff  upper  lip ; 
Them  words'll  come  without  a  slip." 

Say,  was  you  there  to  see  the  show, 

Them  gals  and  boys  all  in  a  row? 

Wall,  I'll  be  dum'd,  but  they  looked  fine — 

(An'  'specially  that  gal  o'  mine). 

You  ain't  a  father,  are  you,  Neal? 

So  you  don't  know  just  how  I  feel ; 

But  "sweetened  lightnin'  "  ran  through  me ; 

I  was  the  proudest  man  to  be 

A-sittin'  there  and  know  my  Kit 

Was  doin'  fine,  not  sca't  a  bit. 

The  show  is  done,  and  I  am  here, 
A-wipin'  off  a  fallin'  tear. 


64  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

Ain't  cryin'  'cause  I'm  feelin'  bad, 
Just  cryin'  'cause  I  am  so  glad 
I've  got  a  gal  like  that  'ar  "Kit," 
Who  knows  so  much  she  had  to  quit 
A-goin'  to  the  public  school. 
She's  learned  for  sure  the  golden  rule ; 
And  does  she  live  it?    Now,  you  bet ! 
That  gal's  all  right,  don't  you  forget. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  65 


Ualfein'  Hbout  Xittle 

You  say  I  see  the  little  things — 

Well,  yes,  I  guess  I  do. 
For  big  things  seldom  come  along 

To  folks  like  me,  that's  true, 
And  little  things  are  all  I  have 

To  come  and  help  me  through 
This  world  o'  tryin'  to  get  on 

With  comforts  small  and  few. 

But  talkin'  'bout  the  little  things, 

Now,  there's  a  baby's  smile- 
Do  you  suppose  a  millionaire 

Could  have  that  for  a  while, 
And  love  it  and  forget  it 

In  the  hum  and  buzz  o'  style, 
And  ever  feel  the  same  again 

Without  that  baby's  smile? 

Still  talkin'  'bout  the  little  things, 
Now,  there's  a  baby's  tear — 

Who  ever  saw  the  quiverin'  lidy 
With  baby  pain  or  fear, 


66  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 

Give  out  its  little  message 

And  not  feel  their  hearts  go  near 

To  comfort  and  caress  it, 
And  to  wipe  away  the  tear? 

The  very  smallest  o'  small  things 

Amounts  to  lots  in  life, 
And  folks  could  find  a  heap  o'  help 

To  carry  'em  through  strife, 
If  they  would  only  look  along 

Just  where  they're  walkin'  now, 
Instead  o'  lookin'  'way  ahead, 

An'  furrowin'  their  brow — 

'Cause  what  you  look  for  'way  ahead, 

Sometimes  you  never  find ; 
It's  only  what  you've  got  in  sight 

Or  what  you've  left  behind, 
That  ever  does  you  any  good ; 

(By  livin'  I  know  this) 
But  seein'  small  things  as  you  go 

You  very  little  miss. 

Take  anything  that  you  can't  buy 
And  try  it  for  a  while ; 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  67 

Course,  what  you  get  for  nothin' 
Don't  seem  worth  a  tear  or  smile ; 

By  an'  by  you  will  be  seein' 
A  somethin'  come  along 

That  just  grew  out  o'  nothin' 
An'  grew  mighty  big  and  strong. 

Now,  here'm  I  moralizin' 

By  beginnin'  with  a  smile — 
An'  talkin'  'bout  a  baby, 

Precious  little  for  a  while. 
But  you  know  that  baby's  growin* 

An'  he  soon'll  be  a  man, 
And  you  know  it's  truth  I'm  tellin', 

Look  and  find  it — 'cause  you  can. 


Once  I  was  dear  Katherine's  playmate 

All  her  time  she  spent  with  me ; 
When  a  cat  came  near  my  Katherine 

She'd  say,  "Scat -'em  up  a  tree." 
But  that  little  Katherine  Swisher 

Changed  her  mind  one  summer's  day ; 
Now  she  holds  that  selfsame  kitten — 

I'm  the  one  she  "scats"  away. 

My!  but  that  cat  likes  to  chase  me, 

Rather  scratch  poor  me  than  eat, 
Jumps  upon  my  back  and  claws  me, 

Feels  as  tho'  she  had  ten  feet. 
And  does  Katherine  Swisher  scold  her? 

No;  she  says,  "Now,  Kittie  dear, 
Don't  you  know  that  dog  would  kill  you 

If  your  mistress  wasn't  near?" 

And  she's  teaching  that  cat  poems, 
Reads  them  from  her  little  books. 


LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE  69 

Deceitful  cat  pretends  to  listen, 

Fools  poor  Katherine  with  her  looks. 

Tells  me  I  am  educated 

When  she  sees  me  feeling  bad. 

I  could  eat  that  cat  with  pleasure, 
That  cat  makes  me  dreadful  mad. 

"Lucky  dog,"  that's  what  they  called  me, 

'Twas  before  cats  came  my  way, 
Long  before  I  learned  the  adage— 

"Every  dog  will  have  his  day." 
Education's  spoiled  my  pleasure ; 

I  would  rather  heathen  be, 
Than  to  see  that  cat  a-reading, 

When  she  should  be  up  a  tree. 


70  LITTLE    STORIES    IN    VERSE 


TKHben  You're  Sat) 

When  you  are  sad  and  lonely, 

Do  you  wish  that  I  were  near? 
When  the  world  seems  cold  and  dreary, 

Would  my  voice  give  you  cheer? 
When  the  tempest  beats  upon  the  craft 

You  call  your  heart, 
Would  you  smile  to  see  me,  dear, 

And  sigh,  when  we  should  part? 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


u 


Form  L9-42m-8,'49(B5573)444 


